6 Things You Need To Know Today (January 3, 2018)

1. 2017 was a great year for single people.

Thanks to more research on the topic of singles, myths pushing conventional marriage as the best lifestyle choice for self-esteem, financial health, and a great sex life are finally busted. Single people are having more sex, making more money, and rejoicing in the fact that being married no longer equates to higher self-esteem or physical health.
(The Cut)

2. Is this how we'll drink water in the future?

Off-the-grid water startups are growing in popularity and gaining venture capitalism dollars to boot. The companies focus on providing pure water that's straight from mountain springs and unfiltered because it doesn't need to be. The water systems allow people to avoid many of the chemicals tap water is riddled with. Still, raw water comes with its own risks, including salmonella and E. coli. (NYTimes)

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3. A drug initially used to treat diabetes could help with Alzheimer's, too.

When scientists developed a drug to help treat diabetes, they never thought it could aid in preventing memory loss as well. But according to a new study out of Lancaster University, not only did this drug work wonders on diabetic mice, but it helped prevent memory loss in them as well. (Science Daily)

4. Do people battling addictions belong on TV?

That's the question a lot of people are asking after a recent investigation into the Dr. Phil show. Guests who battled drug and alcohol addictions have accused the show of providing them with their vices before going onstage in the name of entertainment. However, the show denies such claims and argues that they're helping these people, not hurting them. (Stat News)

5. Doctors keep doing medical procedures that don't always work.

Recently, it was revealed that doctors were inserting stents in the arteries of patients—but that those stents don't actually work any better than the placebo effect. And in fact, nearly half of medical procedures are unsupported by evidence. This could be because once a treatment becomes popular, it's hard to dislodge. Additionally, there are often political challenges surrounding promoting evidence-based medicine. (Vox)

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6. Thanks to emerging tech, the future of renewable energy is bright.

Technology innovations are making it easier than ever to invest in renewable energy, regardless of whether you have solar panels on your roof. Take Brooklyn-based LO3 Energy, a platform that allows owners of solar-equipped homes to sell energy to their neighbors. (Wired)